No More Doubts
by SparkyGemini
Summary: After second guessing themselves and each other for so long, an experience at Jess' best friends engagement party brings the lovely field coordinator and the stoic soldier to a new place.
1. Chapter 1

3:30pm

...

He wasn't sure how long he'd been here, sitting in the central control room, reviewing reports. _Oh, who am I kidding, _he thought. He hadn't reviewed a single report. He'd been there for at least an hour and the pile was no smaller than it had been when he sat down. He'd constantly been distracted and was becoming quite frustrated, but he couldn't get mad at anyone but himself.

He'd been distracted by _her._

She was furiously typing something, going back and forth between the different keyboards and screens, completely immersed in what she was doing. Whenever she was that wrapped up in a project, he could really watch her and she'd never notice. _Stop it,_ he chided himself. _She's too young and sweet for you and you can't get involved with someone you work with. _Her hair gently moved as she glanced back and forth between screens and he could see an expanse of creamy thigh below the hem of her mini skirt, which only grew larger as she crossed her legs. Oh God, those skirts… they drove him nuts and caused unending problems for him, such as the distraction he was currently experiencing.

_Not to mention the _other _problem…_ he thought, as he felt his pulse speed up and his blood begin a southerly trek at the thoughts his all too vivid imagination conjured up every time he looked at her. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm and control himself, but his situation was only made worse as his mind suddenly projected the image of her half naked in the control chair, flushed and panting, her mini skirt shoved up around her waist and his head between her legs. He gasped as his eyes opened and he shook his head, trying to clear the absurdly erotic image from his mind. In fact, he was so distracted trying to get her out of his mind that he didn't realize she had been standing beside him for a moment, calling his name.

"Becker! Are you okay?"

He looked at her and jolted to awareness, slightly shifting on his stool to readjust his semi-inflated cock and hoping the slight bulge in his pants wasn't too noticeable.

"Yeah, Jess, I'm fine. Did you need something?"

"Actually, I do. I'd like to invite you to a party. My best friend, Elsie, is celebrating her birthday and recent engagement tonight and she's rented out a club and everything. It should be fun and I thought you might like to get out for a bit. Connor and Abby are going, a few other people who work here and I even think a couple of your men may stop by. Matt said he has other plans and Lester just gave me a withering look when I asked him. Anyways, here's the information if you decide you'd like to go." She handed him a piece of paper with all the info neatly written out in her feminine print.

"You said it's at a club? Like a night club?" he asked warily, holding the piece of paper gingerly, as though it would bite him at any moment. He had never been great with crowded social events like that, but the thought of seeing Jess all dolled up for a night on the town was extremely tempting. That same thought made him growl internally, thinking of how she'd probably have the attention of every man there. He knew he had no right to have such possessive and jealous thoughts about her, but so far he'd had no luck stopping them.

"It's actually a dance club. I know, it's probably not really your thing. Quite frankly, it's not really _my_ thing either, but Elsie's my best friend and she knows a lot of really interesting people, so her parties are always amazing. Also, it's been a long time since I just cut loose and had some fun. The kind of fun that doesn't have dinosaurs involved." She grinned at him, obviously excited at the thought of a night out.

"Well, I'll see if I can stop by. Assuming no anomalies open, I'm free tonight so I'll do my best to be there. And thanks. It has been a while since any of us really had a night to relax."

"Brilliant! See you tonight!" She was almost skipping as she brought some papers to Lester that needed to be signed. Becker couldn't help but smirk at how happy she was. Her upbeat and bubbly attitude was one of the things he liked most about her and on the few occasions he'd seen her upset about something, it had felt as though something was breaking inside him. All he wanted to do in those situations was pull her tightly into arms, holding and kissing and touching her until she forgot about whatever had upset her. Once again, he felt Becker Jr. begin to swell at that thought. _Get a hold of yourself, man. You can't have her and that's final, so pull your head out of the gutter and get back to work!_ Glancing at the clock he saw that he only had an hour left to finish the reports, so he redoubled his efforts, turning his back to where Jess sat at the ADD.

...

4:00pm

...

She settled back into her control chair at the ADD, trying desperately to get her rapid pulse and slight flush under control. She didn't want Abby to tease her about "looking a little flushed" again, not with Becker so easily within earshot. She had finally got to a point where she could be around Becker and not babble endlessly, stumble over her own feet or blatantly throw herself at him. She was comfortable with him and genuinely enjoyed his company, joking and teasing him when he got too serious or full of himself. She had always enjoyed making people smile, but she had never felt the kind of satisfaction with anyone else that she experienced when she was able make him smile, even if it was just the corner of his mouth quirking up or a quick twitch of his lips.

Yet even with the newfound comfort level, she had been nervous all day about inviting him to the party. The more she thought about it, the more personal and intimate it began to seem. This morning, her plan was to just stop him, hand him the piece of paper with the info and say "Party tonight if you'd like to join", but instead she had rambled on and on about who would be there so that he didn't think she was trying to get him alone or single him out and force some kind of awkward date upon him. Not that she wanted to date him. Or be alone with him. Or touch him.

_Oh, who am I kidding?_ she thought to herself, continuing her project of backing up the files for the day while she mused, the constant typing and movement helping to calm her nerves. Of course she wanted to date him. She had practically been throwing herself at him since "the chocolate bar incident", but it didn't look as though she was making much headway so she decided to back off and simply let their friendship develop. Every now and again (alright, it was more like several times a day) she'd slip up a bit and suddenly find herself standing much too close to him, drawing in his body heat, or looking a little too intently into his eyes as she spoke to him, drowning in their warm depths. Once or twice, she could have sworn she saw something as she looked into those eyes, a moment of weakness or curiosity that mirrored her own eyes, but it was always gone before she could really determine what it was or if it had even been there in the first place. _He's just not interested in you. Stop reading into it. He is NOT paying you special attention or looking for subtle ways to touch you. He's just being a gentleman and doing his job. That's all. So let it go!_

Still, she couldn't help wondering what he'd think of her outfit for the evening. Would he like it or would he tease her relentlessly about how impractical it was, just like he always said about the "torture devices" she called shoes. She glanced over at him to see him reading reports, extremely intent on what he was doing. _Probably trying to finish them before he leaves, _she thought, never having a clue about what was really running through his head and forcing the extreme focus. She glanced at the clock, suddenly eager for the day to be done so she could head home and get ready.


	2. Chapter 2

...

7:30 pm

...

She got to the club early, partially to help with any setup but mostly because she was so excited that she had been ready to go for ages and simply hadn't been able to wait at her flat any longer.

She looked great and she knew it. When she had seen the dress in the window of her favorite shop a week ago, she hadn't hesitated in buying it. It was a vibrant red with embroidered black accents, fitted through the bust and flared at the hips, ending about mid-thigh. It was soft and ethereal, with layers upon layers of soft, gauzy material, making her feel delicate and extremely feminine. She had thought of trying to be sexier, with something that hugged every curve and left nothing to the imagination, but ultimately decided against it. She wasn't trying to get a date, so she didn't want to send out the "I'm available" vibe. In this dress, she looked and felt great but it didn't seem as though she was on the prowl. The dress had a scoop neckline, showing just the right amount of cleavage and it was cut wide so that the thick straps rested on the outside edge of her shoulders. She had a long string of black pearls draped around her neck several times and small black pearl earrings to match. Her make-up was perfect and soft, just right to complete the whole picture. Yes, she was ready for an evening of dancing, partying and unrestrained fun.

...

9:00 pm

...

The party had been in full swing for a while and it was just what she'd wanted and needed. The club was amazing and had two bars, one over to the side and then another set up as a half circle in the middle of the enormous dance floor. Everyone was having a great time dancing, laughing and drinking. Abby and Connor had shown up about an hour ago and were enjoying themselves fully. One of Becker's soldiers had shown up (Jess was pretty sure his name was Nathan) and had found some very good company in one of Elsie's bridesmaids-to-be, judging by the bump and grind they had going on in the middle of the dance floor. Jess had been acting as secondary hostess most of the evening since Elsie was busy downing drinks, showing off her engagement ring and making sure every other woman there stayed away from her gorgeous fiancé.

Jess was finally taking a moment to refresh her drink when she felt a presence behind her and a hand on her lower back. She groaned internally, knowing immediately who it was; the handsey tosser that she'd been discouraging all evening, Alex.

He was handsome, in an over styled kind of way. His blonde hair was perfectly messy (the kind of messy look that took a lot of time to achieve) and his clothing was expensive and overly flashy. He had spectacular green eyes and was obviously well practiced at using them in his seductions. He'd got it in his head as soon as they were introduced that she wanted him but was simply playing hard to get. He hadn't left her alone for any stretch of time since then and she had quickly tired of his advances.

She prepared herself to reject him once again, knowing she would have to be quite forceful with him this time, and spun around to face him. The hand he'd placed on her back slid to her waist as she turned and she smelled a strong odor of whiskey wafting from him.

"Fancy a dance, love?" he asked her, sliding his hand a little lower from her waist to her hip.

Jess couldn't believe the nerve of this guy. She had been as polite as possible the first time he approached, simply saying thanks but no thanks. After the third attempt, she'd had enough and told him very clearly that she was not interested and to leave her alone. Now she was just pissed.

"Look, I've told you no. Repeatedly. My answer is not going to change, so move along and enjoy the party with someone else."

He just smiled wider and leaned in closer, grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the bar and onto the dance floor. He was strong and she could feel that strength in the uncompromising grip he had on her arm.

"One dance. Trust me, darling. You'll enjoy every minute of it."

She tried to pull out of his grip, but he just tightened his hold on her arm. He pulled her in tight to his body, licked the length of her neck and began to grind himself against her stomach. Jess instantly felt a wave of nausea come over her as she felt his erection press against her. Despite the fact that there were so many people around them, Jess was suddenly terrified of being anywhere near this man. He was determined, fairly drunk and much stronger than her. Her mind began to race thinking of what he could do to her if he somehow managed to get her alone. As she gathered her strength and drew a breath to scream, a large hand and well-muscled arm crossed her vision, grabbing Alex by the collar and pulling him away from her.

Alex suddenly found himself looking into the face of a very serious and very angry Becker. While Alex was taller than her, he certainly wasn't anywhere near Becker's height of 6' 1" and he became very aware of that as he stared up at the intimidating man towering over him. Despite how loud the music was, Becker's cold, calm voice could clearly be heard.

"I believe the lady said no. If you really want to dance, I'd be happy to oblige you. Outside." Jess actually felt her knees go weak with relief at the sound of Becker's voice.

Alex, the coward, quickly put up his hands in surrender and said, "No problem, mate. Didn't know she was taken." Moving faster than he had probably ever moved in his life, he scurried away and disappeared into the crowd.

Becker immediately turned to Jess, his entire countenance changing as he placed a hand on her lower back and leaned into her. It was the same place Alex had placed his hand earlier, but while Alex had repulsed her and she'd tried to pull away, Becker's hand was just where she wanted it and she pressed her body firmly into the contact.

"Jess, are you alright?" he asked. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

She was in a state of shock from everything happening so fast. Her heart was pounding from the adrenalin still pumping through her veins and she couldn't quite control the rapid rate of her breath. She was still taking in the fact that Becker was even here (she had never really thought he'd come), let alone that he had arrived at the exact moment she needed him.

Becker stepped in closer to her side and began to guide her through the crowd, applying a gentle pressure on her back. He steered them towards the back of the club to a semi-enclosed area with booths. There was a half wall separating it from the rest of the club that made the music fade to the background. He situated her in one of those booths and slid in next to her, his large body shielding her own petite frame from any prying eyes.

"Jessica, talk to me. Are you alright?" he asked again, starting to worry that she had been hurt or that the bastard had somehow slipped something into her drink. He was starting to panic. He needed to know she was okay before he completely lost it. He reached up a hand, cupping her cheek and turning her face towards him, trying to get some kind of response from her. She looked into his eyes, the same eyes that had been terribly cold and threatening a moment ago. They were now so full of concern that it broke her heart and caught her attention, breaking the spell that had come over her.

"Yeah. Yes, Becker, I'm fine. I'm completely fine. Sorry, I guess I just sort of froze up for a minute there." She gave him a weak smile, trying her best to reassure him.

"Jess, you're shaking. You're not fine. Come on, I'll take you home-"

"No!" she cried, turning in her spot to face him. "I'm not going to let some stupid jerk ruin my evening. I just needed a minute to calm down." She hadn't noticed that she was shaking, but now that she'd been made aware of it she made a conscious effort to calm herself.

"I know you were looking forward to this but you've got to-"

"Stop." She put a dainty hand over his mouth and made sure she had his attention before continuing. "I'm not going home, Becker, and that's that. I came to have a good time tonight and that's what I'm going to do." She realized her hand was still covering his mouth and she quickly removed it, feeling her palm tingle where it had brushed against his lips. "Besides," she continued, in what she hoped was a teasing, light-hearted tone, "it's not as if he's going to try anything again while you're still here." She grinned at him, trying her best to convince him she was right. "Plus, I've basically been acting as hostess all evening since Elsie was tipsy before she even got here and I never shirk on my responsibilities."

He sat there, intensely staring at her as though he thought he could see inside her mind if he looked hard enough. After a moment or two he shook his head and sighed. He turned to take in their surroundings, his body still on high alert, then turned back to her with a resigned sigh.

"Alright, we'll stay. But I'm not leaving you alone and giving some other creep the same chance. You've got to promise that you won't go off without me."

She clapped excitedly and nodded. "I promise, but only if you promise to enjoy yourself and not worry so much."

He smiled and nodded, relieved to see Jess getting back to her old self, bubbly and ready to take the world by storm. He felt his shoulders relaxing, finally acknowledging that she was really okay. He stepped out of the booth and offered her his hand, pulling her up and offering his arm to her. She looked at him in surprise, then smiled and looped her arm through his.


	3. Chapter 3

...

9:30pm

...

She subtly admired him as they reentered the main area of the club. She'd only seen him out of his uniform a few times and he'd been casually dressed then. Just jeans and a t-shirt, but of course he had still managed to be sexy as a wet dream. But tonight… he had obviously put some thought into his clothes and it had certainly paid off. He was in a dark green button-down with the top two buttons undone and the sleeves folded back twice. The shirt was tucked in to tailored black slacks that hugged everything in just the right way. Simple, clean and devastatingly sexy. Even though she knew he was just looking out for her and that was the only reason he was staying close to her, she couldn't help but revel in the jealous glares women were giving her as they passed through the crowd. The music was louder out here and she had to lean into Becker and speak directly into his ear for him to hear her.

"I want to introduce you to Elsie," she said, pointing to a small group by the bar which included Abby and Connor. They made their way over and introductions were made. Abby caught Jess' eye, raising her eyebrows in question and pointing at Becker, whose hand was now firmly in place on her lower back again. Jess mouthed 'Later' and Abby just narrowed her eyes, clearly trying to figure out what had happened to bring about this change. Jess refused to go into it right now and steadfastly ignored Abby for the moment, going back to enjoying her evening.

...

11:00pm

...

Becker was pleasantly surprised that he was genuinely enjoying himself. While he was still on point and aware of every man in the club and how they looked at Jess (why did she have to look so damn tempting?), he had relaxed after a short while and began to have a little fun. He had ordered himself a pint and some sort of orange vodka drink for Jess and found himself enjoying the surrounding conversation. It turned out, Elsie's fiancé, Aaron, had been in the army and was delighted when he discovered Becker was a military man. They were close enough in age (Becker only being a year older) that they had actually trained under some of the same men and were busy swapping stories about the hell of basic training. While he was engaged in conversation, he was always aware of Jess, what she was doing, who she was with. She was busy playing hostess, which now included the job of making sure the actual hostess didn't embarrass herself in her thoroughly inebriated state. Becker was amazed that she was able to make sure that no one near their group was sitting alone or caught in a terrible, never-ending conversation. What was more impressive was that she managed to do all of this without ever going farther than a few feet from him, which he was immensely relieved about. He had found himself constantly touching her throughout the evening, resting his hand low on her back or sliding his hand to her hip, occasionally wrapping an arm around her shoulders and gently stroking her arm. He knew he was being more forward than he should and he knew how it looked to everyone around them (Abby had been trying to catch his attention for the past hour), but it helped to calm him when he could feel her, know she was safe and right there next to him.

He felt every muscle in his body tense as he thought back to when he'd first walked into the club tonight. He was looking for her as soon as he entered, so he'd spotted her quickly. She had just turned around to a man who, in his opinion, was standing much too close to her. When Becker saw Jess' face, he immediately began pushing his way through the crowd, intent on showing this man either the door or his fist. Possibly both.

As he maneuvered around a particularly large man, too large to shove aside, Becker lost sight of her for a moment and felt his chest constrict as panic set in. He frantically looked around and glimpsed her right as the bastard licked her neck. His vision had gone red as a look of absolute terror crossed her face and suddenly Becker was just there. He had no memory of taking the steps, but he was now standing beside them, pulling away the arsehole and making sure he wouldn't bother her again.

When he'd turned to Jess and she wouldn't respond, his panic had reared up again. His mind raced with a thousand scenarios of what could have happened to her in the five seconds he'd lost sight of her and it was sickening. He had to get her away from here. He had to get her to speak to him.

Once he had settled her in the booth and she had started talking to him, he had already decided to take her back to her flat and never let her leave again without an armed escort, but as soon as she'd turned those big blue eyes on him, he knew he couldn't do anything other than exactly what she wanted.

Since that moment, he had been struggling to remind himself exactly why it was he couldn't have her. Every reason he'd ever told himself seemed faulty and easily tossed aside. He'd always said she was too young for him. Well, that was dismissed with Elsie and Aaron as proof, who were only a year away in age from Jess and Becker respectively. He'd said that it was a bad idea since they worked together in such tense and dangerous situations, but Connor and Abby were doing just fine and so were many other couples who worked together. He'd tried to convince himself she wasn't interested, but he'd never really believed that, He'd never really _wanted_ to believe that. Jess wasn't the sort of woman to mask her emotions and desires, so it had been clear from the beginning that she fancied him, but he had been so vulnerable after Sarah's death that he'd built a wall around everything emotional, intimate and personal within him. That wall had held her out at first, but Jess' constant optimism, bubbly personality and whole-hearted openness had slowly started to crack it, bit by bit.

He didn't realize he had completely zoned out of the conversation until Aaron slapped him on the back, startling him out of his thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

11:45pm

…

Elsie was calling to Aaron, trying to get him to come over to her and meet someone. Aaron clapped Becker on the shoulder and said, "Becker, it's been great talking with you. I'm sure I'll see you around."

"You too, Aaron. And congratulations again."

Aaron walked over to Elsie and Becker found his gaze once again drawn to Jess. She was currently talking to Abby, who looked upset and seemed to be looking around for someone. Jess pulled Abby's attention back to her and seemed to say something that reassured the feisty blonde. He could see Abby's lips form the words "you're sure?" and Jess nodded assuredly. Becker knew that Abby would have noticed her friends absence earlier in the evening and assumed Jess was explaining what happened, although he was sure she would make it sound as though nothing really happened. Once again, he was both grateful he arrived when he did and upset with himself for not being there sooner.

He suddenly realized what his life would be like without her in it. He would have continued to build on that wall, blaming himself for everything bad that ever happened to anyone at the ARC. She was always pulling him out of his world of self-loathing, reassuring him that he was the best man for the job and they all trusted him with their lives. She was also good at putting him in his place whenever he became cocky or bossy. Basically, she was good for him and he wanted to be good for her. He wanted to make her happy, almost as much as he wanted to protect her and keep her safe.

Just then, Jess looked over at him and smiled, giving him a little wave. He nodded at her, sending his own small smile her way. Their gazes locked for a moment and they could both feel that something had changed. Her smile softened, became private and intimate, meant only for him. He decided then, right at that moment, that he would do everything in his power to make her smile like that as often as possible. He could envision her lounging in his bed, her hair mussed and skin glowing, sated and sleepy and turning to smile that same smile at him. The thought made his groin tighten and his eyes darken with desire. He shifted slightly on the barstool, trying to get his quickly growing erection into a more comfortable position. Usually he would try and control himself, school his face into a neutral expression before she could see it, but tonight he was tired of fighting it. He looked directly into her eyes and allowed the heat and desire to show through, allowed her to finally see how much he wanted her. He let his gaze drift along her body, taking in every soft, delicate curve all the way down to the stilettos she was perched on. Those damn shoes that drove him completely wild at the most inopportune times. He could barely contain a moan as he pictured them locked behind his back as he slowly sunk into her wet heat. God, how he wanted her….

Jess gasped when she saw his eyes change from pleasantly amused affection to heat-filled desire, primal and dark. She felt her stomach tighten in response and felt her eyelids droop a little, responding in kind to his consuming look. She knew he would be a passionate lover, but she'd never been given a look inside that passion. There was such fire beneath his calm, polite exterior. Fire that only showed itself in the heat of battle… or a darkened room, she thought. His eyes ran down the length of her body and she could swear she felt each place they touched, causing her nipples to harden and her core to pulse. She started walking towards him, for no other reason than she had to be closer to him, close enough to touch and be touched. She kept her eyes on him and saw his widen ever so slightly, as though he was startled or surprised by her movement, but as she drew closer a grin formed on his delicious lips, teasing her and making sinful thoughts of what those lips could do run through her head. She smiled playfully back at him, hoping she looked more confident than she felt, as she walked up and leaned in to talk to him.

"So?" she asked. "Are you having a good time? It seems like you and Aaron have been talking all night. Exchanging war stories, were you?"

"He's an interesting fellow. Turns out we had the same drill sergeant at basic training and he was as harsh on the following recruits as he was on my own group. Nice to know I wasn't the only one he thought was a useless wanker."

They chuckled together and her face lit up, delighted that he had been able to enjoy the evening and wasn't stuck in "On Duty" mode.

"How about you?" he asked. "Have you actually been able to stop playing hostess for two minutes together and enjoy yourself?"

"I happen to like playing hostess, thank you very much. And yes, one of her bridesmaids has taken over the responsibility of Elsie-sitting, so I was able to catch up with a few school friends."

"Wait, there are people here that knew you when you were a teenager? This I have got to hear about," he said, pretending to stand up with the intention of hunting them down and making them reveal every embarrassing story about young Jess.

"No, Becker! Absolutely not," she stated, laughing and placing both hands on his chest and attempting to shove him back onto the barstool. They were both surprised by the amount of strength in that push and he actually found himself slightly unbalanced and reaching for something to grab ahold of. That something turned out to be Jess' waist, which was the closest thing within reach, and as he toppled back onto the barstool she was pulled into him, landing between his spread legs, their chests pressed together.

Jess let out a small "oomph" when she fell into him and then gasped as she looked up to his face, barely inches away from hers, eyes blazing with unchecked desire. She told her body to push away, to use the hands that were currently splayed over his pecs to push away and return his personal space. Instead, the stupid (wonderful) appendages slid slowly up to his shoulders. She was surprised and delighted when his hands tightened slightly on her waist and proceeded to slip to her hips, his fingertips grazing the curve of her ass. He leaned in to her as his eyes roamed her face, frequently flicking back to her slightly parted, damp lips. Just as she was about to close her eyes and receive his kiss, the kiss she had been waiting for so long, he veered to the side. His breath caressed her ear as he spoke to her in a low, quiet, rumbling voice.

"We need to talk, Jess. You know why and you know this isn't the place for it. Let me know when you're ready to go home and we'll talk at your flat."

Jess sighed and nodded, softly brushing her lips against his ear, not knowing that his ears were especially sensitive. The feeling of her so close, of her breath against his skin, of her curves beneath his hands, caused every muscle in Becker's body to clench. His hands tightened and released on her hips and she sank into him further, her cheek now resting on his shoulder, every exhaled breath brushing his neck. If he hadn't known better, he would have thought she was drunk. Her movements were so languid, almost sleepy, and she seemed to have forgotten about the club full of people around them. He had to stop this, now, before he lost the inkling of control he had left.

He tried to gently disentangle himself, pushing back on her hips and leaning his upper body back from her, but she wasn't having any of it. She wrapped an arm around his neck and the other hand fisted in his shirt, pulling his face as close to hers as possible.

"Jess-"

"Promise me that you're not going to change your mind between now and when we get to my flat," she demanded. "Promise me. Otherwise, Becker, I'm going to try and convince you that here and now is _exactly_ the right place."

Immediately, he brought a hand up to her cheek, making sure he had her full attention. Despite the demanding tone, Jess looked vulnerable and apprehensive, obviously worried that he was about to close her out like he'd done so many times in the past. He had to fix this, now.

"Jess, I won't change my mind. I don't think I could, even if I tried. I'm tired of fighting, denying myself what I want. It's been an eye-opening evening and I've had a few revelations about my priorities in life. I'd like to share these revelations with you, but I'd like to be somewhere a bit more private and a lot more quiet. So I promise, Jess Parker, that I will take you home when you are ready and we will talk. I promise."

She looked at him, intensely searching his eyes for any sign of falsehood. Suddenly, she grinned widely, happy to see nothing but honesty in his eyes. She immediately released him, smoothing out his shirt by running her hands over his shoulders and chest.

"Alright then. That's all I needed to hear. Come on and introduce me to your soldier while he and Lissa are up for air," she joked as she grabbed his hand and tugged him along behind her. He gladly followed and they spent the next hour mingling and laughing. At one point, she had tried to coax him into a dance, but he had just smirked and told her it would never happen. Instead, he watched her as she and Abby danced, clearly unaware of the men that were suddenly gathered around their area of the dance floor. Becker only had one moment of displeasure when a man approached Jess as she was dancing. His expression immediately hardened and he was about to stand and intervene, but saw Jess smile and shake her head at the man, who shrugged and moved on.

At that point it was nearly 1:30 in the morning and the party had started to die down, people giving hugs and promises to get together again soon. Jess and Abby came off the dance floor, laughing and flushed. Abby and Connor headed home to their own flat and Jess settled herself on the stool next to Becker, reaching over to rub her ankles.

"Are those torture devices you call shoes starting to catch up with you?" he teased her.

She laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder and turning her face towards him. He felt his breath catch in his throat as she turned her smile on him, her eyes sparkling and pulling him in farther under her spell. She noticed his gaze intensify and slowly sat up straight, swiveling on the barstool and turning her body towards him. She put an elbow on the bar and tilted her head to the side, resting it against her fingertips. He felt like he should say something, but he had been sucked in by her eyes. They were so blue, framed by long, dark, thick lashes that made the blue seem so much brighter and bolder than it ever had before. He watched as she let her eyes roam his face, skim down his chest and torso and continue down to the very tip of his black shoes. He knew he was being inspected and hoped that he met her approval. Her gaze moved every bit as slowly back up his body and reconnected with his eyes. He was unbearably curious about what thoughts were running through her head and was about to ask as much when she spoke.

"I'm ready to go home now."


	5. Chapter 5

"_I'm ready to go home now."_

Such a simple phrase, but he knew there was so much more to it. As much as they had both been flirting and relaxing into each other's company, they were still in public and there was a different set of rules and boundaries as long as they were. Once they were in the privacy of her flat, there would be no prying eyes, no music to fill the lulls and no chance of being interrupted or distracted. Becker swallowed, the sound exceedingly loud in his own ears, and said "Then I'll take you home now. Do you need to say goodbye to Elsie?" He was embarrassingly proud of how calm his voice sounded, even if it was a little deeper and more gravelly than usual.

To his surprise, Jess blushed slightly at his question and shook her head. "Um... I don't think she'll notice my absence right now. I'll see her soon enough, I'm sure."

Becker wasn't about to let her off that easy. "Jess, you've barely let her out of your sight all evening and now you're going to leave without saying goodbye? What's really going on?"

Jess sighed, made a face at him and said "Elsie and Aaron disappeared into the coat room about 15 minutes ago and I don't really expect them out any time soon. Walking in on them once was quite enough for me, thank you. I'm not looking for a repeat of the experience."

Becker actually choked a bit on his last swig of beer and began to cough. Laughing, Jess patted him on the back a few times and teased him about being such a prude. If only she could see the thoughts that ran through his head whenever they were in the same room, she'd never call him a prude again. She went around the bar to where the bartender had been kind enough to keep her purse. She gave him a generous tip, thanking him for putting up with them all night and headed back to Becker. She reached out and grabbed his hand, lacing her fingers through his and pulling him out of the club. As soon as they stepped out Jess felt the chilly air on every bit of her bare skin, shivering in the much cooler night air. Becker casually wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in tight to his side. He was being so tactile and she loved every second of it. She leaned in closer to him as he hailed a cab. Always the gentleman, he opened the door for her, letting her slide in first and giving the driver her address. They sat in companionable silence, seated close together, their thighs touching as Jess gladly soaked in Becker's warmth. After a minute, Becker reached over and took her hand in his, interlocking their fingers and running his thumb over the back of her hand. His fingers were long and calloused. Jess imagined the callouses formed from the years of training he'd been through. She smiled at the thought of a younger Becker being browbeaten by his CO and forced to complete endless sets of push-ups, finely sculpting the hard lines his body carried today.

"What's got you grinning so?" he asked.

She looked up at him, startled because she hadn't even realized she was grinning, pulling away from her thoughts of his body and looking into his eyes. Her grin softened into a much more tender smile as she let her eyes roam his face, wondering how he got the scar that slashed through his eyebrow, thinking he had let his hair grow longer and how amazing it would feel to run her fingers through it, falling into the rich brown depths of his eyes, which were now filled with a questioning look. She raised her free hand to cup his cheek.

"You," she said. "You've got me grinning so."

Her eyes flicked down to his lips, the lips she had dreamed about so often. The lips that were now quirked upward in a barely there smile. God, she wanted to kiss him. Just pull him down to her and snog him senseless.

And that's exactly what she did.

She slid her hand from his cheek to the back of his neck and pulled him down, sighing at the feel of his mouth (finally!) on hers. She slowly dragged her lips over his, gently sucking on his bottom lip before releasing it. She felt a low, rumbling moan roll out of him and into her, her fingers tightening reflexively on his neck before sliding into his hair. She gasped at the electric pulse she felt run through her body from the long desired contact and Becker took full advantage of the opportunity, sliding his tongue into her mouth to stroke against hers. She felt his hand grip her hip before moving to her back, sliding up her spine and settling between her shoulder blades, gently coaxing her body closer. The path his hand had followed buzzed with warmth and she tangled both her hands in his hair and pushed into him, mashing her breasts against his chest. Becker quickly took control of the kiss, repeatedly plundering her mouth with his tongue, occasionally pulling back to nip at her lips while his hands moved in long strokes across her back. He tasted dark and rich, like her favorite chocolate, and his hands were causing a tantalizing sensation to shoot through her veins, melting her in his arms.

Jess knew they needed to stop, but couldn't remember why for the life of her. She tried to focus her thoughts, but was completely consumed by Becker's lips, Becker's hands, Becker's taste and feel. She was so consumed that she was about to crawl into his lap when a strange voice interrupted them.

"Alright you love birds, we're here. You'll have to finish this party somewhere other than the back of my cab."

Both Jess and Becker's heads swung around to stare at the cabby. Jess was the first to come to her senses, immediately grabbing her purse and bolting out of the cab, her face a vibrant scarlet. She was already halfway up the steps to her landing when she heard a door close behind her and Becker's voice calling out to her.

"Jessica, wait!" he called, hurriedly paying the driver and rushing up the stairs after her. She hadn't slowed at all and was struggling with her shaking hands, trying to get her key in the lock when he reached her.

"Jess, hold on a second. Talk to me." He laid a hand on her arm, gently trying to turn her around. He got his wish as she suddenly spun around, grasping his shirt and burying her face in his chest. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, stroking her back to soothe her while trying to figure out what had upset her.

"I'm sorry if I pushed you, Jess. I didn't mean to get carried away. You just... you felt so good and-"

She stopped him before he could get any further, reaching up and covering his mouth with her small hand, thinking that the motion was quickly becoming a habit. She shook her head and smiled at him, her cheeks still tinged pink.

"Becker, stop. You didn't do anything wrong. I started the kiss, remember? Look, I just... I was a little embarrassed."

He furrowed his brow, clearly confused about what she could have done to feel embarrassed. Her hand was still covering his mouth, so he couldn't simply ask her.

"You know, getting caught snogging in the back seat by a cabbie. It just caught me off guard and I thought you might be angry because you're such a private person and that was probably way too public and-"

It was Jess' turn to be cut off as Becker reached up to pull her hand off of his mouth, using his other hand to grasp the back of her head and pull her lips to his.

Jess' squeak of surprise morphed into a throaty moan as Becker consumed her mouth, sliding his lips over hers, sucking on them, darting his tongue out to tease the seam of her lips. She instantly parted them, allowing him entrance, welcoming him into her waiting warmth. He banded an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his body as he slid his tongue into the wet heat she so willingly offered to him, his other hand roaming to cup her cheek before sliding down over her shoulder and then returning to her hair, his fingers once again tangling in the silky locks.

As much as Jess wanted to fully participate in the kiss, she found that she couldn't unlock her fingers from their death grip on his shirt, not to mention that she was still struggling with her own surprise at his actions. He was always so reserved and to suddenly have the full attention of Becker's passion focused on her... to say the least, it was overwhelming in the best way possible. She was sure she would melt to the ground if not for his arm wrapped solidly around her waist. Or maybe she would have simply floated away. Either way, his arm needed to stay exactly where it was...

…

She was intoxicating. Delicious and addictive in his arms. She was soft and pliant against him, letting him pour his desire into her. Becker slowed the kiss, no longer plundering her mouth, instead softly caressing her lips. First nipping her bottom lip, easing the sting he knew it would cause by gently sucking on it, then laying his mouth over hers. Again and again he repeated this pattern, slowing his actions with each cycle, searching for the strength to completely stop so they could go inside.

Finally, he stole one last peck from her now swollen lips and leaned his forehead against hers, unwilling to sever contact with her. He slowly untangled his fingers from her hair and slid his hand back to her cheek. She had yet to open her eyes and her lips were still slightly pursed.

"Jess, look at me. Please."

She smiled and slowly lifted her leaden lids, letting her eyes connect with his and feeling her smile widen further. He couldn't help but grin in response, feeling almost giddy, unsure of what to do with that feeling. But he needed to talk to her before this went any further.

"Jess, listen to me. You're right, I am very private. I don't let a lot of people in, but I want to let you in. I'm tired of hiding, tired of denying what I want. And I want you."

Her eyes widened, complete shock radiating from them. While she had always wanted him, she never dreamed he had been pining for her. She thought he had seen her as silly, little Jess and had just realized there might be something more between them tonight. Even in her wildest dreams, the ones where he _had_pined for her, she never thought he would be so demonstrative in his declaration.

"I can't promise I'll be romantic or the perfect boyfriend," he hurried on. "But I want to give this a shot. I want to give us a shot."

He brought his other hand to her cheek, both hands now gently cupping her face, making sure he had her full attention.

"I want you."


End file.
